Hurricane, tropical storm prowl Pacific Ocean far off Mexico

MEXICO CITY – Hurricane Irwin lost force and was downgraded to a tropical storm Wednesday in the Pacific Ocean far west of Mexico, while Hurricane Hilary maintained a steady course out to sea with no threat to land expected.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Hilary was a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (165 kph).

Its center was about 475 miles (765 kilometers) south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California and heading west at 13 mph (20 kph).